Friday, 14 October 2011

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is the baked goods. Which is a bit of a problem since Christmas is summertime for me, and heating the house with the oven going isn't the best of ideas!

20 years ago I was an exchange student to California, and while there I picked up a cookie cookbook (Sunset - Cookies, printed Feb 1990) and I make quite a few cookies out of this book, but the one staple is NürnbergerLebkuchen. Unfortunately it's not on their website, so I'll copy here. I'll also list my variations at the end - some are preference, one from a (yummy) mistake I made a number of years ago. These are the cookies that need to 'mature' that I mentioned in Things I've Been Meaning to Do - October Edition

Add in the honey mix, citron and chopped almonds. Stir until well blended - this will be a soft dough.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refridgerate for 8 hours up to 2 days.

Stage 2
Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the remainder refridgerated.

Roll out with a floured rolling pin to 3/8 of an inch thick on a heavily floured board. Cut cookies with a 2 1/2 inch cutter and place 2 inches apart on lined/greased baking sheets.

Place 1/2 a candied cherry in the center and an almond at 12, 4 and 8 o'clock (like a flower). Press in a bit as they have a habit of jumping off! Bake at 375F/180C for 12-15 min or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and brush the tops with the glaze. Once cool you can glaze the bottom, but I tend not to.

Once they are completely cool and dry, place in airtight containers and store at room temperature for at least 2 weeks or up to 3 months (I store for about 8 weeks). If the cookies go hard, add a thin slice of apple to the container and cover tightly, storing until they're moist again (about a day) and discarding the apple.

Makes about 4 dozen.

My variations:
I goofed one year and instead of the tsp measures of the spices, I put in Tbsp measures of spices. I now do that every year!

I don't like citron, so leave it out. I'll also use flaked almonds in the dough for different texture.

I've substituted Brandy for the Rum in the past in the glaze.

I've never had to do the apple trick.

And in typing up this recipe, I realise I don't need to halve the blanched almonds for the top, which I've always done, getting very, very frustrated at doing it!!

Monday, 3 October 2011

Ironing - done, rebuilt, needs to be done again. This is going to require a routine, me thunks.

Carport clean-up was not touched. I'm thinking the wardrobe can be re-purposed when we have a bigger house as either a sewing or study nook (or one side for each - thinking, thinking). My Dad's council area's Hard Rubbish collection in November should clear a bit of the junk that's out there.

Donations have been shifted to my donations box (with a few other bits and pieces), but I've not gotten anywhere to under the bed. Baby J is now on the move, so this is up the priority tree! I also didn't get further on the shelves, so that is also a priority.

I got the garden jobs done, plus the mending.

Oh the mending - two buttons on to items. A repair to Mr Trifectagirl's pants and repaired a pair of my pants - only to find they no longer fit! Oh well, that's what you get for leaving things a year and a pregnancy.

About Me

These are my adventures while working on the trifecta - a great home, great relationships and a great job. I'm a 39 year old mum to a toddler after my partner and I faced male-factor infertility and subsequent IVF cycles. Following a major medical crisis, my husband passed 375 days after our June 2011 wedding and I'm now a widow juggling the everyday demands of a toddler and life.